Academics

Nursing, Registered (APNURS)

Description

This program prepares students for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and for challenging and exciting jobs in all settings of health care, from the hospital to home care. Students will gain proficiency in technical aspects of nursing care, such as medication administration, treatments and procedures, and use of medical technology, and they will receive personal satisfaction from their ability to make a difference in someone's life and health. Students will also earn credits that transfer to area RN-BSN completion programs.

The Registered Nursing program has both a high number of interested and qualified applicants and a limited number of spaces. As such, this program moves students through a process of application, admission, waitlist, and finally program initiation.

Admissions Requirements

Student applications are reviewed on a regular basis. Upon acceptance of the application, the student will be placed on the Nursing program waitlist. Students are encouraged to complete required general education courses and other non-nursing courses while on the waitlist until they are notified of their program start date. Minimally, students are required to complete semester one courses before proceeding into the formal nursing program, which begins with their second nursing course semester.

Program Initiation:
Each year approximately 80 students move from the waitlist to the formal program initiation. Students are taken from the waitlist in the order in which they were admitted, with priority given to Washtenaw County residents. Following the completion of the fifteen credits of general education and required support courses, students will begin their formal nursing program. This will consist of four (4) semesters during each of which they will take a minimum of twelve (12) occupationally specific credit hours for a total of 47 occupationally specific credit hours.

Applying for Admission to the Program

A formal application to the program is required. Application packets may be downloaded from the WCC Web site. Download the Registered Nursing program application packet: www4.wccnet.edu/departments/health/pdfs/nursing_application_packet.pdf Completed and signed applications must be delivered to the Health Admissions Technician at the Student Connection, located on the second floor of the Student Center Building. Students will be given information about how to prepare and complete the preadmission test, Test of Essential Academic Skills, or TEAS, at this time. An application to the Nursing program will not be accepted until all admission requirements are met.

Requirements for application are:
-Academic Math Level of 3, MTH 160, MTH 167, MTH 169 or any math level 4 or higher course
-HSC 101 with a minimum grade of "B-" (2.7 on a 4.0 scale)
-BIO 111 with a minimum grade of "B-" (2.7 on a 4.0 scale)
-Current Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) state certification
-Minimum cumulative college GPA of 2.7. Only transcripts that provide an admission requirement course will be used in calculation of the cumulative GPA. If a transcript is submitted for an admission requirement course, the cumulative transcript GPA will be used in a weighted calculation of the cumulative GPA requirement.
-Student declaring that she/he has the specific physical and cognitive abilities detailed in the nursing admission packet. WCC reserves the right to request, before or during the program, that students successfully demonstrate the specific physical and cognitive abilities related to the Nursing program.
-Students receiving an acceptable criminal background check for purposes of identifying a student who could not continue in the program due to a felony conviction (within the last 15 years) or misdemeanor conviction against a vulnerable adult or child (within the last 10 years). Any cost, if indicated, for these checks or for subsequent fingerprinting, is the responsibility of the student.
-Demonstrate proficiency in the English language
-Declaration of residency status (note that Washtenaw County residents are given priority in program initiation).
-Pass the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) within three (3) attempts by achieving the following minimum scores based on the current TEAS version. www4.wccnet.edu/departments/health/nursing/teas.php

*If you take the TEAS at an institution outside of WCC, you must request to have an official ATI transcript sent to the Health Admissions Office.
**Minimum scores are subject to change based on new versions released by ATI.

Continuing Eligibility

-Program courses are sequential and complemented with appropriate support courses. All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better for support courses and "C+" or better in nursing courses.
-Students are required to adhere to rules of the Nursing Code of Ethics published in the Nursing Program Student Handbook.
-Students are required to have additional criminal background checks and/or fingerprinting prior to the start of a clinical sequence as requested by specific clinical facilities. Failure to receive an acceptable criminal background/fingerprinting check at any time, will result in dismissal from the nursing program.
-Students should be aware that the Michigan Board of Nursing may deny a license to an applicant who has been convicted of a crime or is addicted to drugs or alcohol.
-Students in the Nursing program will be required to purchase special uniforms and supplies throughout the duration of the program.
-Students are required to submit health records annually while in the program between May 1 and July 25.